Process using material having adhesive releasing property for making a coupon containing envelope or the like

ABSTRACT

MOIST ADHESIVE IS USED TO TEMPORARILY ATTACH A COUPON TO AN ENVELOPE BLANK WHILE AN ENVELOPE IS FORMED THEREFROM AND AROUND THE COUPON. THE ADHESIVE WHEN DRY ADHERES TO THE COUPON AND NOT TO THE ENVELOPE SO THAT THE COUPON MAY BE READILY REMOVED FROM THE ENVELOPE. THEREAFTER, THE ADHESIVE MAY BE USED TO ATTACH THE COUPON TO A SUITABLE SURFACE.

n/w k v N Y S OEH m L W 5 i LF U Ill 14!ltllliulllrllllllllllliilfli I El m m W EEE BB 8 0 0 0 91h. R R U ATTORNEYS March 9, 1971 R. D. ALLISON ET AL PROCESS USING MATERIAL HAVlNG ADHESIVE RELEASING PROPERTY FOR MAKING A COUPON CONTAIN lNG ENVELOPE OR THE LIKI Filed March 31, 1967 FIGI United States Patent 3,568,398 PROCESS USING MATERIAL HAVING ADHESIVE RELEASING PROPERTY FOR MAKING A COU- PON CONTAINING ENVELOPE OR THE LIKE Robert D. Allison, West Hartford, Conn., and Robert E.

Lafler, Charlton City, and Joseph M. Murphy, Wilbraham, Mass., assignors to United States Envelope Company, Springfield, Mass.

Filed Mar. 31, 1967, Ser. No. 627,385 Int. Cl. B65d 27/00 US. CI. 53-31 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Moist adhesive is used to temporarily attach a coupon to an envelope blank while an envelope is formed therefrom and around the coupon. The adhesive when dry adheres to the coupon and not to the envelope so that the coupon may be readily removed from the envelope. Thereafter, the adhesive may be used to attach the coupon to a suitable surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates in general to the art of using adhesive. The general aim of this invention is to provide a method for temporarily attaching something to a receiving surface by means of a moist adhesive so that when the adhesive is dry it adheres to the temporarily attached thing and not to the receiving surface. The temporarily attached thing may be and often is a separate article such as a coupon or it may be a part of the same piece of material as provides the receiving surface, as where the material is a sheet of paper used to make an envelope or other type of container. A more particular aim of the invention is to provide, in the making of an article and a folded sheet material receptacle therefor, a method for temporarily holding the article in a predetermined position relative to a blank of sheet material while the blank is folded to form the receptacle. As a convenient example, in the specific disclosure that follows the invention is illustrated with reference to the making of a receptacle in the form of a sealed envelope containing a coupon used to play a game. Such a coupon may, for example, be used in playing a bingo-type game, or in another type of game may comprise one part of a unit to be collected and matched with another part or parts to form a complete unit. These games are commonly used in the promotion and advertising of consumer goods and it is generally desirable that it be impossible or at least very difiicult to determine the nature of markings on a coupon while it remains sealed in its envelope. Therefore, a further and more specific object of the invention is to provide a method for making an envelope containing a coupon and having a good opacity or non-coupon reading quality so that indicia on the coupon sealed therein may not be ascertained by holding the envelope to a light source.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with this invention a method is provided for temporarily attaching something to a receiving surface. The attached thing may comprise a part of the material providing the receiving surface or may be a separate article. The receiving surface has a non-stick or release property with respect to an adhesive used to effect attachment. The adhesive is applied in a moist condition and in such moist condition has sufficient aflinity for the receiving surface to hold the attached thing in a predetermined position thereon while other operations are performed on the material providing the receiving surface. The adhesive is preferably a remoistenable adhesive, but

Patented Mar. 9, 1971 may however also be a pressure sensitive or self-sealing adhesive. In its dry or normal state the adhesive has a negligible affinity for the receiving surface and tends to adhere to the attached thing and not to the receiving sur face. The receiving surface may comprise a base surface coated with an adhesive releasing agent applied thereto in a liquid state, or by a liquid carrier, and then dried, or may comprise a separate patch of an adhesive releasing material adhered or bonded to the base surface. When a liquid release agent is used it may be an ink which also imparts a high degree of opacity or color to the material and which may also be used to print information or designs on other parts of the blank. Similarly when a separate patch is used it may be opaque or colored to add opacity or color to the material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a coupon and an envelope constructed in accordance with the present invention, the envelope being shown in an open or unsealed condition.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a blank from which the envelope of FIG. 1 is formed, an associated coupon being shown attached to the blank in a predetermined position.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken through the coupon and envelope of FIG. 1 but shows the envelope in a sealed condition.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view generally similar to the view of FIG. 3, but shows the envelope in an open condition and the coupon being removed therefrom.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view generally similar to the view of FIG. 3, but shows another embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Turning now to the drawing, the invention is shown and described in connection with the making of a coupon 10 and an envelope 12 containing it. The coupon 10 is used to play a matching game and comprises the righthand half section of a unit of obviously false currency or paper play money. It is generally rectangular in shape and has printed on its face indicia of monetary denomination indicated generally at 14, 14. On the face of the coupon and adjacent one of its edges is a printed portion of a fanciful figure or scene to aid in identifying a matching coupon which includes the other portion of the figure or scene. In the illustrated case a picture 16 representing a portion of a bell is printed at the left side edge of the coupon 10 as it appears in FIG. 2. Solidly printed areas or areas printed with a random or scroll design are or may be provided on the coupon rear surface (not shown) in registry with the various identifying markings on its face to make it difiicult to identify the coupon as compared with other coupons of generally like kind, when viewed against a light source. As used herein the term scroll design is used to refer to a design having printed and non-printed areas and wherein such areas are randomly intertwined so as to make difficult the reading of a coupon or the like located between a light source and a sheet of material containing such scroll design. Instructions or rules for playing the game are or may also be printed on the rear surface of the coupon.

The envelope made in practicing the invention may take various forms, but preferably and as shown by the illustrated envelope 12, it is made from a sheet material blank 18. The blank 18 as it appears in FIG. 2 is cut from a web of paper and has longitudinally extending side edges 20, 20, a convex generally V-shaped upper edge 22 and a concave V-shaped lower edge 24. When a blank 18 is cut from a web its lower edge 24 and an upper edge 22a of a successive blank 18:: are simultaneously formed so that no waste material is produced by this cutting operation. Transversely extending fold lines 26 and 28 divide the blank 18 into three panels including a central panel 30, a lower panel 32 and an upper panel 34 which respectively ultimately form the front and rear panels of the envelope 12 and its closing flap. The arrangement of the fold lines is such that when the lower panel 32 and the upper panel or closing flap 34 are folded about their respectively associated fold lines to positions overlying a surface of the central panel 30 a marginal portion 35 adjacent the closing flap edge 22 may be arranged to overlie an associated marginal portion of the panel 32.

In accordance with the invention the coupon is temporarily adhesively attached to the blank 18 before the envelope 12 is formed from the blank. To facilitate this temporary attachment, at least a portion of one surface of the blank 18 is treated to give it an anti-stick or adhesive releasing property with respect to an adhesive used in the process.

Various materials and methods may be used to treat the envelope blank surface as, for example, spraying the surface with a plastic or waxy material. The presently preferred method, however, is to apply a coating of ink to the surface portion to be treated. The ink used is in turn one having a relatively high resin content as compared to conventional printing ink which gives it the desired anti-stick or adhesive releasing property. The resin used may be a polyamide resin. If desired, however, materials other than this resin may be used in the ink to give it an adhesive releasing property, nitrocellulose, ethylcellulose and cellulose acetate being examples of such materials. Preferably the ink also contains a coloring agent, such as a dye or pigment, of relatively dark hue. Solidly colored areas or designs may therefore be printed on a surface of the blank 18 at points where the adhesive is to be placed. In the illustrated case a portion of one side of the central panel 30 having an area substantially larger than a surface of the coupon 10 is printed with a solidly colored area to provide a receiving surface 36 for receiving the coupon and adhesive. A substantial portion of the remaining surface area of the same side of the blank 18 is printed with a scroll design 38 to impart relatively good opacity or non-coupon reading quality to the envelope to be formed from the blank. For a reason that will be hereafter apparent, it is preferable that the scroll design 38 extend to the upper blank edge 22, however, it should be noted that the printed areas are spaced inwardly from the side edges 20, leaving unprinted longitudinally extending margins 40, 40 adjacent the latter edges.

The adhesive used to attach the coupon to the blank may be of any suitable kind which initially, that is at the time of application, has some affinity for the receiving surface suflicient to temporarily hold the coupon in place but which later has a lower affinity for the receiving surface so that at such later time the coupon may be readily removed with the adhesive remaining on the coupon and without significant fiber tearing. It may for example be an animal or vegetable glue or one of the other forms of adhesive commonly used in the packaging art. Preferably, it is a glue which dries hard or crystallizes and which may be remoistened to restore its tackiness or sticking property. The adhesive used to assemble and seal the envelope 12 may be of the same or of another kind. The adhesive need not however be of the remoistenable type and may in some cases be a pressure sensitive adhesive or a selfsealing adhesive such as latex. It is, however, one which is applied in a wet or moist state and which thereafter dries or otherwise cures to a different state, the so-called wettack of the adhesive in its wet or moist state serving a large part in the temporary adhesion of the coupon to the receiving surface. One suitable adhesive is an aqueous based pressure sensitive adhesive having little affinity, when dried, for the release coating of the receiving surface but bondable by pressure to a paper substrate not having such a release coating, the adhesive when initially applied being in a wet condition and serving to hold the coupon to the receiving surface by its wet-tack.

Temporary attachment of the coupon 10 to the blank 18 is effected by applying a quantity of adhesive between the coupon and the receiving surface or area 36, in a wet or moist condition. The adhesive may be applied to either the rear surface of the cupon 10 or to the receiving surface 36 before the latter surfaces are brought into adjacent relationship. In the illustrated embodiment several spots of adhesive 42, 42 are provided to effect the desired temporary attachment. In its moist condition the adhesive spots 42, 42 have sufiicient affinity for the receiving surface 36 to hold the coupon in a predetermined position relative to the blank 18. While the adhesive spots 42, 42 are moist, the lower panel 32 is upwardly folded about the fold line 28 to a position overlying the coupon 10 and the printed side of the central panel 30. The latter two panels are secured together by adhesive applied along portions of the margins 40, 40 of one or the other of the panels to form the envelope pocket.

To close the envelope the closing flap 34 is downwardly folded about the fold line 26 to a position wherein its marginal portion 35 overlies the associated marginal portion of the envelope rear panel 32 as previously discussed. Adhesive is used to seal the envelope and may be applied to either the flap or the envelope rear panel before the flap is folded to its closed position. In the illustrated case sealing adhesive 44, 44 is applied in a discontinuou fashion along the flap marginal portion 35, the marginal portion adjacent the apex of the flap being free of adhesive so that it may serve as a tab to be grasped in opening the envelope.

When the coupon 10 is sealed in the envelope 12, the solidly printed area 36 overlies its reverse surface and the scroll design 38 printed on the back panel 32 and the flap 34 overlies its face. Thus, the envelope 12 has good opacity or non-reading quality with respect to the coupon 10 so that the markings on the coupon may not be seen by holding the envelope to a light source.

The envelope 12 may be opened by grasping the flap 34 at or near its apex and lifting it or moving it away from the back panel 32. The scroll design 38 printed along the flap marginal portion 35 has some printed areas and some non-printed areas and the sealing adhesive 44, 44 has good aifinity for only the non-printed areas. Therefore the scroll printing provides for a weak bond between the flap 34 and the back panel 32 so that the flap may be easily opened with little fiber tearing.

When the adhesive spots 42, 42 are dry they tend to adhere to the rear surface of the coupon and not to the associated envelope releasing surface portion 36. Thus, the coupon may be readily removed from the envelope in the manner shown in FIG. 4 and may, if so desired, be attached to another suitable surface by remoistening the adhesive spots 42, 42 which adhere to its reverse surface.

It should be noted that it is not always necessary to provide a solidly printed area, such as he area 36, for receiving the coupon, and in some instances it is suflicient to provide a scroll printed design over the whole surface of the blank, or at least over the area covered by the coupon. This increases the non-coupon reading quality of the envelope and coupon package. However, since the scroll design includes some non-printed areas the glue used to adhere the coupon to the envelope blank will tend to adhere relatively firmly to these non-printed areas and some fiber tearing may occur as the coupon is removed. Generally the amount of tearing, if any, which does occur is negligible and unobjectionable.

In FIG. 5 is shown another embodiment of the invention which includes a coupon 10b and an envelope 12b similar in most respects to the coupon and envelope of the aforedescribed embodiment. However, the embodiment of FIG. 5 differs from the one previously described in that the receiving surface of the envelope 12b i provided by a patch of adhesive releasing material indicated at 36b and attached to its inner surface. The material from which the patch 36b is made has an anti-stick or adhesive releasing property with respect to the adhesive 42b used to temporarily attach the coupon b thereto and may, for example, be a plastic material. The patch 36b is preferably generally rectangular and somewhat larger than the associated coupon 10b and is adhesively attached to the envelope blank with a suitable adhesive, or otherwise bonded thereto, before the envelope 12b is formed from the blank. To enhance the non-coupon reading quality of the envelope the patch 36b may be made from an opaque material. The blank may also be printed with an overall scroll design before the patch is applied, for the same purpose.

The drawings show preferred embodiments of the invention and such embodiments have been described, but it will be understood that changes may be made from the construction disclosed and the drawings and description are not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims forming a part of this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

What is claimed is:

1. A method for making a receptacle containing an article adapted to be adhesively secured to another surface after removal from the receptacle, said method comprising the steps of providing a blank of sheet material from which the receptacle is to be made, providing an article to be contained in the finished receptacle, applying an adhesive releasing material to a portion of one surface of said blank to provide a receiving area of smaller area than said one surface and said one surface including a second area which is uncoated with said adhesive releasing material, providing an adhesive having some affinity for said receiving area when in a moist condition and a lower negligible affinity for said receiving area When in a more dry condition and having a relatively high affinity for said article both when in a moist condition and a more dry condition, said adhesive further being one which after drying from said moist to said more dry condition may be activated for use in securing together two surfaces, temporarily attaching said article to said receiving area with a quantity of said adhesive in said moist condition, thereafter forming said blank into a receptacle for said article by folding said blank while said article is attached thereto by said moist adhesive to form at least two overlapped panels between which said article is located and having portions of said uncoated second area in face to face relation to one another and by sealing said overlapped panels to one another by adhesive contacting and located between said face to face related portions of said uncoated second area, and thereafter allowing said adhesive for said article to dry to said more dry condition so as to cause it to adhere to said article and release from said receptacle and to thereby remain with said article when said article is thereafter removed from said receptacle, said adhesive thereby being available for securing said article to another surface.

2. A method of making a receptacle containing an article as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of applying an adhesive releasing material to said portion of said one surface of said blank comprises applying an adhesive releasing ink to said portion by means of a printing process.

3. A method of making a receptacle holding an article as set forth in claim 2 wherein said one surface includes a third area separate from said receiving area and said second area, and wherein said adhesive releasing ink is printed onto said one surface in such a manner as to solidly cover said receiving area and to non-solidly cover said third area in a scroll design.

4. A method for making a receptacle holding an article as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of applying adhesive releasing material to said portion of said one surface of said blank comprises attaching to said one surface a patch of sheet material.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,330,666 9/1943 Berkowitz 22951(WB) 2,608,504 8/1952 Meyer et al. 156344X 3,460,743 8/1969 Burnett 229- 1,775,684 9/ 1930 McKiernan 229-923 3,368,741 2/1968 Mercur 22970 2,209,601 7/1940 Heywood 229-71 2,603,899 7/1952 Leander 40125A 2,703,043 3/1955 Novick et a1. 229-71X 2,805,816 9/1957 Morgan 22992.8

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner N. ABRAMS, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 22 970 

